ous and trying fcenes to which the deftinies of our union led.

Who is there that has forgotten the vales of Brandywine, the fields of Germantown, or the plains of Monmouth? Every where prefent, wants of every kind obftructing, nu merous and valiant armies encountering, himself a hoft, he affuaged our fufferings, limited our privations, and upheld our tottering republic. Shall I difplay to you the spread of the fire of his foul, by rehearfing the praises of the hero of Saratoga, and his much-loved compeer of the Carolinas? No; our Washington wears not borrowed glory:-To Gates to Green, he gave without referve the applaufe due to their eminent merit; and long may the chiefs of Saratoga and of Entwas receive the grateful refpect of a grateful people, Moving in his own orbit, he imparted heat and light to his most diftant fatellites; and combining the phyfical and moral force of all with in his fphere, with irrefiftable weight he took his courfe, commiferating folly, difdaining vice, difmaying treafon, and invigorating defpondency, until the aufpicious hour arrived, when, united with the intrepid forces of a potent and magnanimous ally, he brought to fubmiffion the fince conqueror of India; thus finishing his long career of military glory with a luftre correfponding to his great name, and in this, his laft act of war, affixing the feal or fate to our nation's birth.

To the horrid din of battle sweet peace fucceeded, and our virtuous chief, mindful only of the common good, in a moment tempting perfonal aggrandifement, hushed the dif. contents of growing fedition, and fur. rendering his power into the hands from which he had received it, con, verted his fword into a ploughfhare, teaching an admiring world, that to be truly great you must be truly good.

Were I to flop here, the picture would be incomplete, and the task impofed unfinished.-Great as was our Washington in war, and much as did that greatnefs contribute to produce the American republic, it is not in war alone his pre-eminence ftands confpicuous; his various talents, combining all the capacities of a statesman with thofe of the foldier, fitted him alike to guide the councils and armies of our nation. Scarcely had he refted from his martial toils, while his invaluable parental advice was ftill founding in our ears, when he, who had been our shield and our fword, was called forth to act a lefs fplendid, but more important part.

Poffeffing a clear, and a penetrating mind, a ftrong and a found judgment, calmnefs and temper for deliberation, with invincible firmnefs and perfeverance in resolutions maturely formed, drawing information from all, acting from himself, with incorruptible integrity and unvarying patriotifm; his own fuperiority, and the public confidence, alike marked him as the man defigned by heaven to lead in the great political as well as military events which have distinguifhed the era of his life.

The finger of an over-ruling Providence, pointing at Washington, was neither miftaken nor unobferved; when to realize the vaft hopes to which our revolution had given birth, a change of political system became indifpenfable,

How novel, how grand the fpectacle! independent ftates ftretched over an immenfe territory, and known only by common difficulty, clinging to their union as the rock of their fafety, deciding, by frank comparifon of their relative condition, to rear on that rock, under the guidance of reafon, a common government, through whofe commanding protection, liberty, and order, with their long train of bleffings, fhould be fafe

to themselves, and the fure inheritance of their pofterity.

This arduous task devolved on citizens felected by the people from knowledge of their wisdom, and confidence in their virtue. In this auguft affembly of fages and of patriots, Washington of courfe was found; and, as if acknowledged to be moft wife, where all were wife, with one voice he was declared their chief. How well he merited this rare diftinction, how faithful were the labours of himself and his compatriots, the work of their hands, and our union, ftrength, and profperity, the fruits of that work, bett atteft.

But to have effentially aided in prefenting to his country this confummation of her hopes, neither fatisfied the claims of his fellow-citi zens on his talents, nor those duties which the poffeffion of thofe talents impofed. Heaven had not infufed into his mind fuch an uncommon fhare of its æthereal fpirit to remain unemployed, nor bestowed on him his genius unaccompanied with the correfponding duty of devoting it to the common good. To have framed a conftitution was fhewing only, without realifing, the general happiness. This great work remained to be done; and America, ftedfaft in her preference, with one voice fummoned her beloved Washington, unpractifed as he was in the duties of civil adminiftration, to execute this last act in the completion of the national felicity. Obedient to her call, he af fumed the high office with that felfdiftruft peculiar to his innate modefty, the conftant attendant of pre-eminent virtue. What was the burst of joy through our anxious land on this exhilarating event is known to us all. The aged, the young, the brave, the fair, rivalled each other in demonftrations of their gratitude: and this high-wrought delightful fcene was heightened in its effect, by the fingular conteft between the zeal of the

X

beftowers, and the avoidance of the receiver of the honours bestowed. Commencing his administration, what heart is not charmed with the recollection of the pure and wife principles announced by himself, as the bafis of his political life? He best underflood the indiffoluble union between virtue and happiness, between duty and advantage, between the genuine maxims of an honeft and magnanimous policy, and the folid rewards of public profperity and individual felicity; watching with an equal and comprehenfive eye over this great affemblage of communities and interefts, he laid the foundations of our national policy in the unerring immutable principles of morality, based on religion, exemplifying the pre-eminence of free government, by all the attributes which win the affections of its citizens, or command the refpect of the world.

O fortunatos nimium, fua fi bona norint !'

Leading through the complicated difficulties produced by previous obligations and conflicting interefts, feconded by fucceeding houfes of congrefs, enlightened and patriotic, he furmounted all original obstructions, and brightened the path of our national felicity.

The prefidential term expiring, his folicitude to exchange exaltation for humility returned, with a force increafed with increase of age; and he had prepared his farewell address to his countrymen, proclaiming his in tention, when the united interpofition of all around him, enforced by the eventful profpects of the epoch, produced a further facrifice of inclination to duty. The election of prefident followed; and Washington, by the unanimous vote of the nation, was called to refume the chief magistracy; what a wonderful fixture of confidence! Which attracts most our admiration, a people fo correct, or a cix 2

tizen

tizen combining fuch an affemblage of talents, forbidding rivalry, and ftifling even envy itself? Such a nation ought to be happy, fuch a chief muft be for ever revered!

War, long menaced by the Indian tribes, now broke out; and the terrible conflict, deluging Europe with blood, began to fhed its baneful in fluence over our happy land. To the first, outstretching his invincible arms under the orders of the gallant Wayne, the American eagle foared triumphant through diftant forefts. Peace followed victory, and the melioration of the condition of the enemy followed peace. Godlike virtue, which uplifts even the subdued favage!

To the fecond he oppofed himself. New and delicate was the conjuncture, and great was the ftake. Soon did his penetrating mind difcern and feize the only courfe, continuing to us all the felicity he enjoyed. He iffued his proclamation of neutrality. This index to his whole fubfequent conduct was fanctioned by the approbation of both houfes of congrefs, and by the approving voice of the people.

To this fublime policy he inviolably adhered, unmoved by foreign intrusion, unshaken by domeftic tur bulence,

Juftum et tenacem propofiti virum,
Non civium ardor prava jubentium,
Non vultus inftantis tyranni,
Mente quatit folida.'

Maintaining his pacific fyftem, at the expence of no duty, America, faithful to herself, and unstained in her honour, continued to enjoy the delights of peace, while afflicted Europe mourns in every quarter, under the accumulated miferies of an unexampled war; miferies in which our happy country muft have fhared, had not our pre-eminent Washington been as firm in council as he was brave in the field.

Pursuing ftedfaftly his courfe, he held fafe the public happiness, preventing foreign war, and quelling internal diforder, till the revolving period of a third election approached, when he executed his interrupted, but inextinguishable, defire of returning to the humble walks of private life.

The promulgation of his fixed refolution ftopped the anxious wishes of an affectionate people from adding a third unanimous testimonial of their unabated confidence in the man fo long enthroned in their hearts. When, before, was affection like this exhibited on earth? Turn over the records of ancient Greece; review the annals of mighty Rome-examine the volumes of modern Europe-you fearch in vain-America and her Washington only afford the dignified exemplification.

The illuftrious perfonage, called by the national voice in fucceffion to the arduous office of guiding a free people, had new difficulties to encounter: the amicable effort of fettling our difficulties with France, begun by Washington, and purfued by his fucceffor in virtue as in station, proving abortive, America took measures of felf-defence. No fooner was the public mind roufed by profpect of danger, than every eye was turned to the friend of all, though fecluded from public view, and grey in public fervice; the virtuous veteran, following his plough, received the unexpected fummons with mingled emotions of indignation at the unmerited ill treatment of his country, and a determination once more to risk his all in her defence.

The annunciation of thefe feelings, in his affecting letter to the president accepting the command of the army, concludes his official conduct.

First in war-first in peace-and firft in the hearts of his countrymen,

he

he was fecond to none in the humble and endearing scenes of private life; pious, juft, humane, temperate, and fincere; uniform, dignified, and commanding; his example was as edifying to all around him as were the effects of that example lafting.

To his equals he was condefcending, to his inferiors kind, and to the dear object of his affections exemplary tender; correct throughout, vice fhuddered in his prefence, and virtue always felt his foftering hand; the purity of his private character gave effulgence to his public virtues.

His laft fcene comported with the whole tenor of his life. Although in extreme pain, not a figh, not a groan efcaped him; and with undisturbed ferenity he clofed his well-fpent life. Such was the man America has loftSuch was the man for whom our nation mourns!

Methinks I fee his auguft image, and hear falling from his venerable lips thefe deep-finking words:

Ceafe, fons of America, lamenting our feparation! go on, and con firm, by your wisdom, the fruits of our joint councils, joint efforts, and common dangers; reverence religion, diffufe knowledge throughout your land, patronife the arts and fciences; let liberty and order be infeparable companions; controul party fpirit, the bane of free governments; obferve good faith to, and cultivate peace with, all nations; fhut up every avenue to foreign influence, contract rather than extend national connection; rely on yourfelves only: be American in thought, word, and deed.Thus will you give immortality to that union, which was the conftant object of my terreftrial labours; thus will you preferve undisturbed to the lateft pofterity, the felicity of a people to me moft dear; and thus will you fupply (if my happiness is now aught to you) the only vacancy in the round of pure blifs high Heaven beflows.'

To the account of Governor Holwell, in our laft, (p. 272.) we fhall add the following particulars, which are omitted in it.

Mr Holwell caused to be erected at Calcutta a monument to the memory of the fufferers in the Black Hole prifon, on which were the following infcriptions:

On the Front of the Monument. "To the memory of Edward Eyre, William Baillie, Efqrs. the Rev. Jarvas Bellamy, Meffrs. Jenks, Reeveley, Law, Coates, Nalicourt, Jebb, Tortiano, E. Page, S. Page, Grubb, Street, Harod, P Johnstone, Ballard, N. Drake, Carfe, Knapton, Golling, Dod, Dalrymple, Captains Clayton, Buchanan, Witherington, Lieutenants Bishop, Hays, Blagg, Simpfon, J. Bellamy, Enfigns Paccard, Scott, Haftings, C. Wedder

burn, Dumbleton, Sea Captains Hunt, Ofburn, Purnell, Meffrs. Carey, Leech, Stevenfon, Guy, Porter, Parker, Caulker, Bendol, Atkinson, who, with fundry other inhabitants. military, and militia, to the numbe of 123 perfons, were, by the tyrannic violence of Surajud Dowla, Suba of Bengal, fuffocated in the Black Hole prifon of Fort William in the night of the 20th day of June 1756, and promifcuously thrown the fucceeding morning into the ditch of the ravelin of this place. This monument is erected by their furviving fellow-sufferer J. Z. HOLWELL."

On the Reverfe of the Monument. "This horrid act of violence was as amply as defervedly revenged on Surajud Dowla, by his Majefty's arms, under the conduct of Vice Admiral Watfon and Colonel Clive, 1757."

Mr